If you’ve been following this year’s awards season drama, you already know the Oscars shook up expectations, and Wicked: For Good has found itself at the center of a serious conversation. The musical sequel, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, didn’t get a single nomination at the 2026 Academy Awards, a stunning turn of events after its predecessor was a major contender just a year ago. That snub didn’t just draw fan outrage; it even prompted pop star Charlie Puth to publicly weigh in, defend his colleagues, and share his disappointment in a way few expected.
It’s one thing for fans to react. It’s another when an artist like Puth, whose songs “Attention” and “See You Again” have dominated charts for years, steps into the awards debate with his own take. The singer took to X on January 22, calling the lack of nominations for Erivo and Grande “such a disappointment,” and pointing out that the musical performances they delivered should have been acknowledged.
In his own humble way, Puth even admitted, “I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I believe the amazing musicality they both showcased should be acknowledged,” spotlighting his support for their work beyond just celebrity chatter.
Wicked’s Big Oscar Swing and the Letdown of Zero Nods
The road to this year’s Oscar nominations was already unusual for the Wicked franchise. The first film adaptation, released in 2024 and directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), scored an impressive 10 Oscar nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande, ultimately winning Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. That made Wicked one of the biggest musical successes of the awards season.
Wicked: For Good, which hit theaters in late 2025 as the sequel to that hit, seemed positioned to continue the magic. Fans and industry pundits alike expected at least some recognition, especially since both Erivo and Grande delivered new material that leaned heavily into both acting and musical performance. And the sequel did get some accolades earlier in the season, including Golden Globe nominations, but when the Academy Awards nominations were announced on January 22, Wicked: For Good was not mentioned at all. Not in acting. Not in production. Not in original song. Not anywhere.
That silence was loud. Fans and observers were especially surprised that neither of the two original songs crafted for the sequel, “The Girl in the Bubble” and “No Place Like Home,” got nods in Best Original Song, even though the film’s composer, Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music for both songs, is a respected figure in musical theater.
Ariana and Cynthia not getting nominated for Wicked is such a disappointment. I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I believe the amazing musicality they both showcased should be acknowledged. 🎶
— Charlie Puth (@charlieputh) January 22, 2026
Charlie Puth’s Unexpected Oscars Take And Why Fans Are Talking
Puth’s reaction was one of the more vocal celebrity responses to the snub, but it wasn’t without pushback online. Some fans agreed wholeheartedly, echoing his sentiment that Erivo and Grande were overlooked despite standout work. Others pointed out that acting awards are fundamentally different from music awards, reminding critics that Oscar categories like Best Original Song and Best Score are separate from performance categories, and that praise for performers shouldn’t automatically translate to nominations.
That mix of applause and critique highlights something deeper about this film’s place in pop culture: Wicked: For Good wasn’t just a sequel; it was a rare musical that mainstream audiences embraced with enthusiasm. Broadway fans and pop music lovers flocked to cinemas for Ariana Grande’s big‑screen turn as Glinda. Even before the snub, the film grossed impressive numbers worldwide and dominated social feeds during its awards‑season push.
It also speaks to the shift in public conversation around awards. This isn’t the era when only critics and industry insiders debate nominations; people from all corners of online culture have strong opinions, and stars like Puth joining the mix turns what used to be insider chatter into a mainstream topic. That crossover shows how much Wicked has become a shared cultural touchpoint, regardless of Academy decisions.
The reactions aren’t all from big names. On social platforms like X and Reddit, frustration about the Wicked snub has been rampant. Some fans have made their displeasure clear not just about the acting categories, but about the film missing nominations in technical areas that many expected, like costume design, production design, and visual effects.
One fan wrote, “Wicked: For Good being snubbed in EVERY category… not even costume design?”, echoing what many Hind/Twitter users were saying after the nominations dropped. Others pointed to the broader awards season journey, noting that earlier losses at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice seemed to foreshadow a difficult Oscar road.
That doesn’t make the snub any easier for fans; in fact, it’s being interpreted as part of a larger narrative about how award voters engage with musicals and sequels. Some even argued that fans had elevated expectations because the first Wicked was such a big awards player just a year ago, a comparison that, for many, makes this year’s result sting even more.
Why This Oscar Snub Feels Bigger Than Just a Lost Nomination
Here’s where things get interesting from a cultural perspective: musicals used to be central to awards season conversations. La La Land, Chicago, and even Les Misérables are examples. But in recent years, original musicals and adaptations have had fewer consistent wins at the Oscars. Wicked: For Good’s lack of nominations feels like part of that trend. Fans and some industry watchers are even asking whether sequels, especially those that follow massive hits, face a bias because voters want to always spotlight newer or more daring work.
Another angle is how much the film leaned into its music, arguably its greatest strength, yet still didn’t make waves in the Academy’s music categories. It’s rare for musicals with original songs and a strong musical backbone to be shut out entirely, which only left more room for conversations about how award bodies evaluate genre films versus dramas or ensemble pieces that tend to attract more votes.
The Legacy. Does This Affect Wicked’s Place in Pop Culture?
Looking at the bigger picture, there’s a clear dissonance between critical and popular reaction. Early reactions to Wicked: For Good from some viewers and journalists described the film as “epic and heartbreakingly tender,” praising its emotional depth and musical sequences. Those voices sit alongside the disappointment over awards snubs, showing that a film can be both beloved by audiences and overlooked by traditional accolades.
Meanwhile, the franchise as a whole continues to resonate. That’s part of why this year’s Oscar results felt like a story worth talking about, not just another awards announcement. Movies and performances that connect on a cultural level often take on a life beyond trophies, and with a passionate fanbase and vocal supporters like Charlie Puth stepping into the conversation, Wicked’s legacy might be more about impact than official recognition.
The Wicked fan community isn’t done discussing this. With the Oscars airing on March 15, 2026, hosted by Conan O’Brien, there’s still plenty of time for conversation, celebration, and maybe even surprises on the night itself.
Are you curious about the films that made the cut this year? Sinners led the field with a record‑breaking 16 nominations, while films like One Battle After Another, Frankenstein, and Sentimental Value also earned major recognition.
For now, Puth’s outspoken support and the ongoing fan debate show one thing vividly: people don’t just watch musicals anymore, they feel them. And when something beloved gets left out of the awards talk? Yeah, folks have opinions about that.
